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Story and Images Contributed by Sara Bell, Tribal Administrator/Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma The Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma is preparing for the construction of a new tiny house village that they hope will help prevent, prepare and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ponca Tribe began responding to the Coronavirus pandemic on January 22, 2020. Community members were worried about the effects of the virus and many started to prepare by purchasing hand sanitizer and a surplus of food, toilet paper and cleaning supplies. This put a strain on many tribal members’ budgets, and the Ponca Tribe Business Committee members started to receive requests for assistance. The Business Committee responded by giving over $34,000 in assistance for food, rent and utility payments in a four-month span. W
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The village will offer five tiny homes to provide housing for tribal elders who are struggling with homelessness and displacement and are at a higher risk for COVID-19. Many tribal members live with other family members. They often move around from one house to another. This is a cultural practice and often not CLINIC DRIVE recognized as homelessness. The tiny homes will help reduce overcrowding, thus preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
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Tribal Chairman Oliver Littlecook shared his excitement, describing the project as “an ode to legacy.” OKLAHOMA CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION ARCHITECTURE: # 02949 EXP. 06/30/2021
“Ponca people have always honored our elders for their wisdom and teachings. It is said that a nation that honors its elders will live forever.” W
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The Tiny House Village will be located inside the gated Walking Trails behind the newly renovated Wellness Center. The Tiny House Village initiative is part of the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) – CARES FY 2020 with a completion date of September 1, 2021. W
Each tiny house will be less than 900 square feet, complete with a kitchen, dining area, bedroom, living room, bathroom with special safety features such as grab bars and walk-in showers and an outside patio. The tiny house village will reside within a gated area, and village residents will have access to a walking trail complete with picnic areas. The tiny houses will host energysaving features and completely tiled flooring.
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This project will be managed by Brenton Carney, Project Manager REBEL R. J.T. JR. for the Ponca Tribe SMITH of Indians ofLITTLE Oklahoma. Carney is currently 28847 20555 managing the ICDBG Wellness Renovation and Expansion Project. He has a Master of Science in Management and is currentlyOKLAHOMA working on his Doctorate in Business Administration CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION with an emphasis P.E: # 1072 in Project Management. Mr. Carney has over EXP. 06/30/22 20 years of construction experience in the oil and gas industry with eight years in a management capacity. W
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Ponca Tribe Anticipates Construction of New Tiny House Village
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5801 Broadway Extension, Suite 500, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118-7436 Telephone (405) 840-2931 Facsimile (405) 842-7750 Website www.fsb-ae.com
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5801 Broadway Extension, Suite 500, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118-7436 Telephone (405) 840-2931 Facsimile (405) 842-7750 Website www.fsb-ae.com
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“There is power and healing when we gather together. The Tiny House Village Project will allow for some of our elders who reside outside of White Eagle to be able to come home and reconnect with the community.”
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Tribal Administrator Sara Buffalo HeadBell believes this project presents a sort of homecoming and sees the first five homes as a start of a larger ambition.
Pictured left to right: Council Members of Ponca Tribe Business Committee, members Scotty Simpson Jr., Matilda De La Garza, Secretary/Treasurer Carla Carney, ViceChairman Robert Collins, member Leota White, Project Manager Brenton Carney, and Kathy Martin, President, Redhawk Construction.
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